In an increasingly competitive EV landscape, Toyota hopes its newly redesigned and renamed Toyota bZ can stand out.As brands from Subaru to Volkswagen continue to expand all-electric offerings, Toyota is placing its bets on a single EV model for the American market.The change in name may be partly in hopes of distancing the new model in consumers’ minds from the original bZ4X, which began stateside sales in 2022, only to be met with recalls and buybacks.Toyota, for its part, states in a press release that the branding change is just “simplifying the name for customers.” Toyota is hoping for a fresh start and has brought several key improvements to the table.The new bZ will have an estimated range of 314 miles, up from just 252 in the previous model.There is also a significant horsepower boost for all-wheel drive models, reaching 338 hp, and a modest 20-hp boost for front-wheel drive models, measuring in at 221 hp.This model will come equipped with the now-standardized North American Charging Standard (NACS) outlet, first developed by Tesla.
This brings fast-charging capability to the new bZ, which Toyota says will allow it to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in about 30 minutes.Toyota has also brought a number of other improved creature comforts and new features to this second-gen model including an updated X‑MODE system with Grip‑Control for improved off‑road traction.The bZ’s price at launch is set to be somewhere between $37,000 and $42,000, depending on the trim and configuration.This positions the model to compete with other smaller all-electric SUVs like the Tesla Model Y.Toyota expects the new bZ to begin arriving at Toyota dealerships in the back half of 2025.